Depending on your computer, camera and any third-party hardware, setup can be challenging, and you may have issues like out-of-sync audio. There are a few pitfalls to beware of, though. The results can even be much better than a webcam, making you the most presentable person on your Zoom call. If you own a Mac or another camera model, however, you’ll likely need to get a video capture device. In some cases, particularly with select Canon, Nikon and Sony models on Windows, you might not even need any extra hardware at all. If you happen to have a DSLR, mirrorless or compact camera, you may be able to put it into service as a high-quality webcam. Here’s an option you may not have thought of. Even worse, you may not have a webcam at all and every store you’ve checked is out of stock.
Regardless, you may have noticed that your webcam isn’t very flattering - it might have poor resolution, sickly colors or be mounted at a low “nostril-cam” angle. You may also be meeting up with pals or family members by video to ease COVID-19 isolation. If you’ve recently joined the work-from-home brigade, you’ve probably discovered the joy (or pain) of using video conferencing apps like Zoom, Skype and Google Hangouts.